Improvement of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) micro-tubers formation as effected by nano-particles in-vitro

Abstract

Background Applying nano-fertilizers in the agricultural sector may lead to sustainable development through lower inputs and waste generation, diminishing nutrient losses, and increasing nutrient use efficiency by releasing nutrients at a suitable rate for plant demand compared with conventional chemical fertilizers. Objective The current study’s objective was to develop the ideal procedure for the in vitro creation of virus-free micro-tubers of two potato cultivars using varied doses of phosphorus and potassium nanoparticles (K-NPs) added to the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Materials and methods The research was conducted at the Tissue Culture Laboratory, Vegetable Crops Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt, from January 2020 to July 2021. The meristem tips of two potato cultivars were excised and cultured in solid MS medium supplemented with sucrose and agar. The multiplication stage involved re-propagation of the cultivars using nodal segments, which were cultured on MS medium. Results and conclusion The effects of potassium 25, 35, and 45 mM or phosphorus 2, 3, and 4 mM nanoparticles on in-vitro micro-tuber formation and growth of two potato cultivars (Lady Rosetta and Spunta) were cultured. Data on the number of branches, plant length, and number of leaflets were recorded after 40 days of culture. The number of micro-tubers/jar, and the fresh weight of micro-tubers were also determined. 25 mM potassium nanoparticles (K-NPs) resulted in the highest number of tubers for both cultivars, while the concentrations (35 mM and 45 mM) decreased tuber formation. For phosphorus nanoparticles (P-NPS), 4 mM resulted in the highest number of tubers and root lengths for both cultivars.